Mahmood Mamdani facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mahmood Mamdani
20th Director of Makerere Institute of Social Research
Incumbent
Assumed office June 2010
Preceded by	Nakanyike Musisi
Director of the Institute of African Studies, Columbia University
In office 1999–2004
Preceded by	George Bond
Succeeded by	Mamadou Diouf
Director of the Centre for African Studies, University of Cape Town
In office 1996–1999
Personal details
Born	(1946-04-23) 23 April 1946 (age 79) Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
Nationality	Ugandan
Spouse	Mira Nair (m. 1991)
Children	1 (Zohran Mamdani)
Residences	Kampala, Uganda New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Pittsburgh (Bachelor of Arts) Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Master of Arts), (Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy) Harvard University (Doctor of Philosophy)
Professorships	University of Dar es Salaam (1973–79) Makerere University (1980–93) University of Cape Town (1996–99)
Notable work(s)	Citizen and Subject
Notable awards	Herskovits Prize (1997) Lenfest Award (2011)

Mahmood Mamdani, born on April 23, 1946, is a well-known Ugandan academic, writer, and political expert. He was born in India but grew up in Uganda. He is famous for his important ideas about how history, especially the time when European countries ruled parts of Africa (called colonialism), still affects African nations today.

He has held many important positions. He was the director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) in Uganda for many years. He also taught at Columbia University in the United States. Currently, he is the Chancellor of Kampala International University in Uganda.

Early Life and Education

Mahmood Mamdani is a Ugandan person with Indian family roots. He was born in Mumbai, India, but spent his childhood in Kampala, Uganda. His parents were both born in what is now Tanzania. He went to primary schools in Dar es Salaam and Kampala. He also attended Old Kampala Senior Secondary School.

In 1963, Mahmood Mamdani received a special scholarship. This scholarship was part of a program called the "Kennedy Airlift." It helped many students from East Africa study at universities in the United States and Canada. This was seen as a gift to the new independent nations. Mamdani went to the University of Pittsburgh and earned a degree in political science in 1967.

While studying, he joined the civil rights movement in the United States. In March 1965, he traveled by bus to Montgomery, Alabama, to take part in a march. He was arrested during this march. He called the Ugandan Ambassador for help, explaining that he believed it was a fight for freedom, just like Uganda had recently gained its freedom.

He continued his studies, earning two master's degrees from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He then received his highest degree, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), from Harvard University in 1974. His PhD research was about politics and social groups in Uganda.

Career Highlights

Mahmood Mamdani returned to Uganda in 1972 and started working at Makerere University. However, he was later forced to leave Uganda by the leader Idi Amin because of his Indian background. He moved to a refugee camp in the United Kingdom.

In 1973, he moved to Tanzania and taught at the University of Dar es Salaam. He finished writing his PhD research there. After Idi Amin was removed from power in 1979, Mamdani returned to Uganda. He researched the previous government's foreign relations, and his findings were published in a book.

In 1984, he lost his Ugandan citizenship. This happened because he openly criticized the government's policies at the time. He became "stateless," meaning he didn't belong to any country. He then taught as a visiting professor at the University of Michigan in the United States. When the government changed again in Uganda, he returned in 1986. He helped start the Centre for Basic Research (CBR), which was Uganda's first research organization not run by the government.

He also taught as a visiting professor at other universities around the world. These included the University of Durban-Westville in South Africa and Princeton University in the United States.

From 1996 to 1999, he was a professor at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He had some disagreements with the university about a new course he wanted to teach about Africa. He later left this position. From 1998 to 2002, he led an important group called the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa. In 2001, he gave a speech in Norway at the Nobel Prize events.

In 2008, Mahmood Mamdani was voted as one of the top "public intellectuals" in the world. This means he is widely recognized for his important ideas and writings that influence public discussion. His essays have appeared in well-known magazines.

Key Ideas and Work

Mahmood Mamdani's work focuses on African and international politics. He studies how colonialism (when one country controls another) and what happens after colonialism affect countries. He also looks at how knowledge is created and shared.

He explores the links between politics and culture. He compares different types of colonialism since the 1400s. He also studies the history of civil wars and genocides in Africa. His work also covers the Cold War and the "War on Terror," and the history of human rights.

One of his most famous books is Citizen and Subject: Contemporary Africa and the Legacy of Colonialism. In this book, Mamdani explains that to understand modern African countries, we need to look closely at how they were ruled during colonial times. He says that colonial rule in Africa created a "Bifurcated State," which means a state with two different ways of ruling.

• Direct Rule: This was used in cities and focused on keeping native Africans from having the same freedoms as European citizens.
• Indirect Rule: This was used in rural areas. It involved working with local leaders and traditional customs, but still under the control of the colonial power. Mamdani called this "decentralized despotism."

He argues that this "two-faced" system created problems that continued even after countries gained independence. He shows how these colonial ways of ruling led to authoritarian systems later on. He uses examples from South Africa and Uganda to support his ideas. He suggests that the system of apartheid in South Africa, which was very unfair, was actually a strong example of how European colonies in Africa were generally run.

Personal Life

Mahmood Mamdani is married to Mira Nair, who is a famous Indian film director and producer. They met in Kampala, Uganda, in 1989. At that time, Mira Nair was doing research for her film called Mississippi Masala.

They got married in 1991. They have one son, Zohran Mamdani. Zohran is now a member of the New York State Assembly, which is part of the government in New York, USA.

Honours and Awards

Mahmood Mamdani has received many awards for his important work:

• 1997: Herskovits Prize for his book Citizen and Subject.
• 1999: University of Cape Town Book Award for Citizen and Subject.
• 2009: GDS Eminent Scholar Award from the International Studies Association.
• 2011: Lenfest Distinguished Faculty Award.
• 2012: Scholar of the Year at the 2nd Annual African Diaspora Awards.
• 2012: Ugandan Diaspora Award.

In July 2017, he was chosen as a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy (FBA). This is a very high honor in the United Kingdom for people who have made great contributions to the humanities and social sciences.

Honorary Degrees

Mahmood Mamdani has also received special honorary degrees from several universities:

• University of Johannesburg, South Africa (2010)
• Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia (2010)
• University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (2012)

See also

• Indians in the New York City metropolitan area